The CanBee Bee’s Knees is a canned cocktail or RTD that has a mission. They support the Xerces Society’s Pollinator Conservation Program, and give back to them when you purchase their cocktails. Given the importance of anchor pollinators like bees, and the continued observance of Colony Collapse Disorder among bees— it is a worthy cause to tip a drink to. Especially one that bees are at the very heart of, like the Bee’s Knees. Not only does the honey directly come from bees, many of the important botanicals in gin are primarily pollinated by bees.
Canned at 8% ABV, CanBee Bee’s Knees includes gin from Rochester, New York’s Black Button Distillery.
Tasting notes
Color: Pale goldenrod and quite attractive
Aroma: Intensely honey forward, with a strong wildflower honey note on the nose. Somewhat dark and unctuous, there’s a bit of citrus and light lemon here to round things out.
Flavor: Honey first, with some dark wildflower honey nuance, similar to the nose. Hints of gin peak out of the background, primarily spices— only a delicate hint of cinnamon and ginger.
Mid-palate the tartness from the lemon becomes most pronounced. There’s a fresh lemon roundness here, with oil, flesh and a very mild citric acid tang.
Towards the end, slight tartness, honey flavor, and restrained sweetness carry the day.
Finish: Clean with a long lasting dark honey flavor. CanBee Bee’s Knees is crisp and very easy to sip.
Overall, CanBee Bee’s Knees
I always love a good cause— and given the importance of all manner of pollinators, this is a canned cocktail you can feel good about.
The only place I and other gin lovers might find it a bit lacking is in the presence of the gin. In some ways its a honey and lemon soda. While it’s a delightful drink on its own, in some ways I wonder if its story and mission could be equally well told without gin?
Given the gin is not the focus, I find that it comes up a touch short in comparison to some other RTD Bee’s Knees which more prominently feature the gin. It further seems like a lost opportunity given the sheer number of high quality gins that Black Button produces. Some of which, including their Lilac Gin beautifully complement honey in a Bee’s Knees.
Overall, it’s an easy to drink cocktail that almost anyone could appreciate on a warm day. However, as a gin cocktail, I’d love to taste some gin.